HOWTO: IceWM Basic Configuration

IceWM is a great window manager, fast, light and easy to understand. There are many apps to configure it, but i prefer to edit the configuration files. I abhor icons, wallpapers, and the constant use of the mouse (i also use Ratpoison).

IceWM allows to configure many options so do not despair. Basically, this is how i do it and it's not the only way, there are other ways that may appeal to you and that is OK.

The site for IceWM is www.icewm.org and is very good explaining how to do things like wallpapers, keybinds, etc.

INSTALLATION
I use #! Wheezy so aptitude, apt-get, or wajig will do the job for me:

# apt-get install icewm icewm-themes menu

LAUNCHING ICEWM
You can put it in your DM of choice or in your .xinitrc, here is my .xinitrc:
If you want to eliminate your default DM:

$ sudo dpkg -P gdm gdm-themes

And edit /etc/inittab, leaving it like this:

# The default runlevel.
id:2:initdefault:

Just create the .xnitrc file ($ touch .xinitrc) and paste whatever you want.
Here's my .xinitrc:

 
#!/bin/sh

setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp
xsetroot -solid black 
xrdb -merge .Xdefaults 
unclutter -idle 2 & 
numlockx &  
icewm 

unclutter eliminates the cursor pointer after 2 seconds, making reading easier, numlock activates the numpad when you enter the X system (only in wheezy and sid), 'setxkbmap -optionterminate:ctrl_alt_bksp' allows you to leave the X system back to the console

Reboot:

$ sudo shutdown -r now

When you come back, type your username (Enter), your password (Enter) and finally startx (Enter)

Once inside the X system, i press the left Windows key and the main menu comes up, i click on Settings > Focus > Sloppy Mouse Focus.

Next i choose my theme: Settings > Themes, click on it, and immediately it takes effect.

CREATING CONFIGURATION FILES
First i create a directory for ~/.icewm:

$ mkdir -p .icewm

After that i create the configuration files i'm going to use:

$ touch .icewm/preferences
$ touch .icewm/keys
$ touch .icewm/winoptions
$ touch .icewm/prefoverride

I go to the first one and open it:

$ nano -w .icewm/preferences

And paste the preferences i have chosen from /usr/share/icewm/preferences, in order to enable the preference, you have to UNCOMMENT the second line and change the number from '0' to '1', then i copy it and paste it in my .icewm/preferences. The first time it takes a while, but if you keep your IceWM configurations in a folder in your web mail, the second time will be just a matter of copying/pasting and it takes less than 5 minutes to configure the window manager. IceWM is very, very configurable is a dream for a meticulous person. So here is mine:

At the end of each line there is a number, either zero or one.
0 = disables the option
1 = enables it

OpaqueMove=0
OpaqueResize=0
SmartPlacement=1
MenuMouseTracking=1
ModSuperIsCtrlAlt=1
UseMouseWheel=1
QuickSwitch=1
AutoReloadMenus=1
ShowProgramsMenu=1
ShowThemesMenu=1
ShowHelp=1
TerminalCommand="xterm"
ShutdownCommand="sudo shutdown -h now"
RebootCommand="sudo shutdown -r now"
WorkspaceNames=" 1 ", " 2 "
LockCommand="xlock -mode blank"


ShowTaskBar=1
TaskBarAutoHide=0
TaskBarShowClock=1
TaskBarShowAPMStatus=0
TaskBarAtTop=0
TaskBarShowAPMStatus=0
TaskBarShowAPMTime=0
TaskBarShowMailboxStatus=1
TaskBarShowWindows=1
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=0
TaskBarShowTray=1
TaskBarShowWindowIcons=0
TaskBarShowCPUStatus=0
TaskBarShowNetStatus=0
TaskBarShowCollapseButton=0
TaskBarWorkspacesLeft=1
TimeFormat="%R"
TaskBarShowShowDesktopButton=1
TaskBarShowWindowListMenu=0
TaskBarShowMailboxStatus=0
TaskBarMailboxStatusBeepOnNewMail=0
NormalTaskBarFontName="-*-sans-medium-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*- *"
NormalTaskBarFontNameXft="sans-serif:size=10"
ActiveTaskBarFontName="-*-sans-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*-*"
ActiveTaskBarFontNameXft="sans-serif:size=10"

KEYBINDINGS
$ nano -w .icewm/keys
and paste something of your liking like this:

key "Super+a" xterm
key "Super+e" xfe
key "Super+m" sylpheed
key "Super+i" iceweasel
key "Super+u" xchat
key "Super+Pause" sudo shutdown -h now
key "Print" xterm -e scrot -cd 10

Just change the letters and applications to your liking as in Openbox
i.e.
key "Super+t" Terminator

OR
If you're not using some of your Fn keys:

key "F2" xterm
key "F3" xfe
key "F4" sylpheed
key "F5" iceweasel
key "F6" xchat
key "Super+Pause" sudo shutdown -h now
key "Print" xterm -e scrot -cd 10

I use F1 for the Vimperator manual. Keybinding is faster than the point/click with the mouse, your wrist will appreciate it. Just press F2 and your favorite terminal will be launched. Press the 'Print' key and scrot will take a screenshot in 10 seconds. To "get out of Dodge" press the Windows key and the 'Pause' key, bye-bye. I edited my /etc/sudoers file and added these two lines for my wife and me.

macondo ALL = NOPASSWD : ALL
giovi ALL = NOPASSWD: /sbin/halt, /sbin/reboot

PREFOVERRIDE - alterations to the default keys to work easier for me.
$ nano -w .icewm/prefoverride
I copy/paste this:

KeyWinClose="Super+k"
KeyWinMaximize="F12"

I like to close my apps with the Windows key (left or right one) and the 'k' key; the object is never to lift the hands from the keyboard To maximize, instead of the default Alt+F10, a simple F12 will do.

WINOPTIONS
$ nano -w .icewm/winoptions
I copy/paste this:
I like my apps maximized

xterm.startMaximized: 1
sylpheed.startMaximized: 1
xchat.startMaximized: 1
feh.startMaximized: 1
iceweasel.startMaximized: 1
xfe.startMaximized: 1

IceWM comes with Alt-Tab by default.
Personally, i like the taskbar on top and no title bar, i think it's a waste of real estate

Icewm with titlebar:

Icewm without title bar:

If you're like me and like the taskbar on top, go to your .icewm/preferences and change this line to look like this:

TaskBarAtTop=1

To eliminate the title bar:
locate the default line for the theme you're using:

$ locate icewm

In my case, the theme is SilverXP, so i find it and enter it as root:

$ sudo nano -w /usr/share/icewm/themes/SilverXP/default.theme

And change the number at the end of the line to zero like this:

#  Title bar height
TitleBarHeight=0

IMPORTANT: in order for ANY changes you make to be activated you have to restart IceWM.

Ctrl+Alt+Delete -click on Restart IceWM 
OR Left Windows key + Delete - Click on Restart IceWM
OR Left Windows key + Delete + r (if IceWM is installed in English) 

That should do it, good luck

PS: I forgot to mention, if you want a run box (like grun) just press the Windows key + the space bar and the taskbar becomes one.

Last edited by macondo123 (2011-07-08 16:04:38)